It has come to the attention of this blog that Jim Roche has died.
It was originally reported that he died in California but a reader has co tacted this blog to say that Jim died in Germany.
He was born in Cork in 1944, joined the Dominicans in 1962 and ordained a priest in 1969.
Early in his priesthood he went to Argentina and lived in Parana.
Jim Roche was a great man and Jim Roche could never have had anything to do with the Ireland in which Majella Moynihan was hounded by the Garda for becoming pregnant.
Jim was an intelligent man with no time for any of the clerical capers.
There was a custom in the diocese where he was working that priests did not grow beards. Jim grew one. His prior did not approve but had neither the decency nor honesty to tell him he did not approve. On an occasion when the local bishop visited the house he told Jim that it was not the custom for priests in the diocese to grow beards.
Jim in his perfect Spanish, though with a Cork accent, replied to the bishop: "You may be my bishop but you are not my barber."
Typical Jim Roche approach.
The bishop was Adolfo Tortolo.
It was originally reported that he died in California but a reader has co tacted this blog to say that Jim died in Germany.
He was born in Cork in 1944, joined the Dominicans in 1962 and ordained a priest in 1969.
Early in his priesthood he went to Argentina and lived in Parana.
Jim Roche was a great man and Jim Roche could never have had anything to do with the Ireland in which Majella Moynihan was hounded by the Garda for becoming pregnant.
Jim was an intelligent man with no time for any of the clerical capers.
There was a custom in the diocese where he was working that priests did not grow beards. Jim grew one. His prior did not approve but had neither the decency nor honesty to tell him he did not approve. On an occasion when the local bishop visited the house he told Jim that it was not the custom for priests in the diocese to grow beards.
Jim in his perfect Spanish, though with a Cork accent, replied to the bishop: "You may be my bishop but you are not my barber."
Typical Jim Roche approach.
The bishop was Adolfo Tortolo.
In July 1975 he was appointed military bishop in Argentina and was a friend of Colonel Juan Francisco Guevara and General Eduardo Senorans.
The bishop was aware in advance of the military putsch.
No doubt Jim quickly realised the type of person the bishop was. And what about the Irish Dominican prior, who is now dead?
On leaving the Irish Dominicans he moved to the United States where he studied law and worked tirelessly for migrants.
He offered support to Nicaraguans who came to Ireland during the conflict in their country.
Jim always had time for the underdog. He was always there to support the marginalised and poor.
He was a fine sportsman, football being his speciality.
He married a woman from the former German Democratic Republic.
The bishop was aware in advance of the military putsch.
No doubt Jim quickly realised the type of person the bishop was. And what about the Irish Dominican prior, who is now dead?
On leaving the Irish Dominicans he moved to the United States where he studied law and worked tirelessly for migrants.
He offered support to Nicaraguans who came to Ireland during the conflict in their country.
Jim always had time for the underdog. He was always there to support the marginalised and poor.
He was a fine sportsman, football being his speciality.
He married a woman from the former German Democratic Republic.
Jim was an accomplished musician.
It is unlikely that he would or could have felt at home in the Irish Dominican province of today.
A great and good man.
May he rest in peace.
It is unlikely that he would or could have felt at home in the Irish Dominican province of today.
A great and good man.
May he rest in peace.
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